Apabtment-tafrk glass-i itrm ace



W. N. MATHEWS.

APARTMENT TANK GLASS FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.3, 1315.

1,324,917. Patented Dec.1(5,1919.-

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR- ATTORNEY w'. N. MATHEWS.

APARTMENT TANK GLASS FURNACL APPLICATlON FILED DEC.3,1918- 3SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

' INvENTok ATTORNEY W. N. MATHEWS.

APARTMENT TANK GLASS FURNACE.

APPLICATION EILED DEC. 3. I918.

Patented Dec. 16,1919,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I INVENTQR 1m ATTOR NE WILLIAM N. MATHEWS, F WELLSIBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

APARTMENT-TANK. GLASS-FURNACE.

Specification ot'Letters Patent.

. Application filed December 3, 1918. Serial No. 265,115

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM N. MATHEWS, a citizen of. the United Statesof America, and resident of Wellsburg, county of Brooke, and State ofWest Virglma, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinApartment-Tank Glass Furnaces, of which the following is aspecification. 1 p v This invention relates broadly to glass furnaces,and more particularly to a regenerative furnace for making lead glass,opal glass, lime glass and OllhGIYkll'ldS of glass,

generally termed' flint glass, which cannot be successfully made in openpots.

The primary object of the invention 18 to provide a glass furnace desgned especially for the production of flmt glass, or those kinds ofglasswhich contain large proportions of lead oxid, WhlCl'l embodies atank composed of separate apartments each of which is alternatelyemployed for.

meltin plaining and flowing thereby not only 0 viating the necessity orthe usual second handlin' or ladling of glass from one pot or tan toanother, but also pro viding for overcoming the-necessity for reheatingthe glass.

A further objec provide a furnace of the character mentioned embodyingmuflles' which serve not only to promote the utmost cleanliness bypreventing the de osit in'the glass of forei matter, but a so to shieldthe glass from the lead fumes which would otherwise produce oxidationand discoloration.

Having in view these and other important objects which will here nafterbe made apparent, the invention resides n the features of construction,arrangement of elements and combinations of parts which will hereinafterbe described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, 1nwh1ch- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of a furnaceconstructed in accordance with.

my invention; r

Fig. 2 is a section on l1ne2 2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a transversesectlon on l ne 53-43,

t of the invention .is to;

' melting designating characters distinguish like parts throughout theseveral views- 1, 2 and 3 indicate, respectively, three similarnon-communicating chambers 0r .pots which are arranged side byside underarate said pots from the overlying combustion chamber 9. Gas and' airheated b suitably located regenerators (not shownl are conducted fromthe latter through fiues 10 which discharge, into the, combustionchamber 9 through ports 11 located in the furnace walls 5'.

Located at the outer end of each pot is the usual open extension, or doghouse, 12 through which material is introduced into the pot, and locatedforward of each pot and onia lower level than the latter is a refiningchamber 13 to which glass may be permitted to flow from such pot througha spout 14 which is normally kept closed by a suitable verticallyadjustable plug 15.

Located forward of each refinin Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

chamber 13 and communicating with t e latter 4 between adjacent workingch'ambersl'l so j that glass may freelyflow from one of said chambers tothe others to maintain a uniform depth of glass therein, permitting.

simultaneous wor ing from the three chambers.

In ractice, the pots 1, 2' and 3 are operate so that each is in turnemployed as a and as a owing tank, 'an

ank, as aplaining, or settlin ,tank,

I also in sue man-- ner that successive pots are always being employeddifferently. To illustrate, while pot 1- 1s beng employed as a meltlngpot, the

glass previously melted in pot 2 is plaining, or settling, andpreviously plained glass in pot 3 is running therefrom to the adjacentrefining chamber 13 through the then open spout 14. \Vhen pot 3 isemptied, new ma- .terial is introduced therein and said pot is employedas a melting pot. At the same time, the glass in pot 1 is plaining andthe glass in pot 2 is being permitted to flow. Thus, as is apparent, thevarious steps in the process of preparing the glass for working arecontinuously being performed.

As is obvious, the structural arrai'igement described not only rendersunnecessary the common practice of ladling glass from a melting pot to asettling chamber, but it also provides for a gradual cooling of theglass 1n its passage from the pots to the working chamber. Furthermore,said arrangement overcomes the necessity for the usual reheating of theglass, which reheating is particularly objectionable due to the factthat, through a'resultant chemical reaction which ensues, seeds or cordsare produced which render glass roducts containing them of inferiorquality, if not wholly valueless. p

The arrangement of mufile arches over the various pots ofi the apartmenttank described prevents the furnace gas from coming intocontact with theglass, which would result iii the reduction of some of the lead to ametallic state and thus produce discoloration ofv the glass. Moreover,said arrangement obviously shields the glass against the deposit thereinof foreign particles and other impurities from the combustion chamber.

What is claimed is 1. In a glass furnace, a tank composed of threeadjacent non-communicating apart-- ments adapted to be operatedsuccessively and each being alternately employed as a melting, plainingand flowing pot, a combustion chamber located over said tank, and mufiiearches overlying said apartments and separating the latter from saidcombustion chamber.

2. In a glass furnace, a tank composed of three adjacentnon-communicating apartments adapted to, be operated successively andeach being alternately employed as a melting, plaining and flowing pot,a com: bustion chamber located over said tank, muflie arches overlyingsaid apartments and separating the latter from said combustion chamber,a refining chamber associated with each of said apartments and havingcommunication therewith through a closable passage, and a workingchamber in open communication with each of said refining chambers.

3. In a glass furnace, a tank composed of three adjacentnon-communicating apart .open throats.

ments adapted to be operated successively and each being alternatelyemployed as a melting, plaining and flowing pot, a combust-ion chamberlocated over said tank, muille arches overlying said apartments andseparating the latter from said combustion chamber, a refining chamberassociated with each of said apartments and having communicationtherewith through a closablc passage, said refining chambers beinglocated on a lower level than said apartments, and a working chamberlocated in front of and in open con'nnunication With each refiningchamber, said working chambers having open communication.

, 4. In a glass furnace, a tank composed of three adjacentnon-communicatingapartments ada ted to be operated successively and eachbeing alternately employed as a melting, plainin and flowing ot, acombustion chamber ocated over sai tank, muffie arches overlying saidapartments and separating the latter from said combustion chamber, arefining chamber associated with eachof .said apartments and havingcommunication therewith through a closable passage, said refiningchambers being located on a lower level than said a artments sothat theentire contents may ow from the latter through said passages, and aWorking chamber located in front of each refining chamber andcommunicating with the latter through an open throat said workingchambers being connected by means providing 5. In a glass furnace,avtank composed of three non-communicating apartments 10- cated side byside and separated by walls having air spaces therein, each of saidapartments having at one end an opening through which material isintroduced therein, said apartments being adapted for successiveoperation and each being alternately employed as a melting, plaining andflowing pot, a combustion chamber located over said tank, muflle archesoverlying said apartments and separating the latter from said combustionchamber, refining chambers associated with said apartments, and workingchambers as sooiated with said refining chambers, said working chambersbeing connected to permit glass to flow from one to another thereofwhereby a uniform glass level is maintained in said chambers.

6. In a glass furnace, a tank composed of three non-communicatingapartments located side by side and separated by Walls having air spacestherein, each of said apartments having at one end an opening throughwhich material is introduced therein. said apartments being adapted forsuccessive operation ,and each being alternately employed as a fiearches overlying said apartments and sepsaid working chambers being incommunica- 10 arating the latter from said combustion 'tion.

chamber, a refining chamber located in front In testimony whereof, Iafiix my signature of eachapartment and disposed at a lower in presenceof two subscribing witnesses. level than the latter, a closable passagebetween each apartment and its refining cham- WILLIAM MATHEWS ber, and aworking chamber located in front Witnesses: of each refining chamber andhaving comi H. E. DUNLAP,

munication with the latter through a throat, R. W. MILLER.

